5 Biggest Obstacles Facing Washington Redskins in 2015

Sporting just two division titles in the past 16 years, the Washington Redskins have struggled to navigate the obstacle course that is the NFC East.

From quarterback instability to countless coaching changes, you could say that team dysfunction has been the chief roadblock to success since Dan Snyder bought the team.

With the 2015 NFL season approaching on the horizon, what obstacles will stand in the way of the Redskins winning the division this time around?

Quarterback? Injuries?

Let's find out. Here are the five biggest obstacles facing Washington in 2015.

5. Strength of Schedule

Ben Margot/Associated Press

You'd think that one of the few benefits afforded to bad teams such as the Redskins would be an easier schedule. However, that's not always the case. 

True, with an overall winning percentage of 47.9 percent, according to ESPN.com, Washington does have the league's 21st-ranked schedule. And only three of its opponents were playoff teams in 2014.

Even so, this schedule isn't a reflection of the team's porous 2014 campaign. It's merely a result of the NFL's schedule rotation.

In 2015, the Skins, and the entire NFC East for that matter, will square off with the entire NFC South and AFC East.

With that said, outside of two intraconference games based on division standings, Washington's 4-12 campaign a season ago has no impact on the team's schedule.

On an equal playing field with their NFC East brethren, the Skins' chief obstacle here is a closing stretch of three road games in the final quarter of the season.

4. Offensive Line

Pablo Martinez Monsivais/Associated Press

From a talent perspective, there's little doubt Washington has improved its offensive line. Spencer Long and Brandon Scherff are clear upgrades over Chris Chester and Tom Compton.

But that's on talent, not production.

The fact is, neither Scherff nor Long has done anything tangible on the NFL level.

Don't let Zack Martin's rookie All-Pro season under Bill Callahan fool you into thinking otherwise. First-year starters often struggle—just ask recent top-three picks Luke Joeckel and Eric Fisher—and Long and Scherff will be no different.

It may not be true by season's end, but between this duo's growing pains and the need for chemistry up front, Washington won't enter the 2015 campaign with its offensive line as a strength of the team.

3. Key Injuries

Alex Brandon/Associated Press

Ryan Kerrigan, Trent Williams and DeAngelo Hall.

What could be a list of Washington's most important players is in reality a list of Redskins with injury concerns. And therein lies the problem.

Instead of doing prep work for the upcoming season, these three players have spent the majority of their time rehabbing injuries.

On the mend from a torn Achilles, Hall has been a limited participant in both minicamp and OTAs. Still feeling the effects from an ankle injury he suffered in Week 17—that's right, six months ago—Williams has been absent as well:

"

From Wed. #Redskins OL Trent Williams still hasn't shaken that injured left ankle injury. Out until training camp. http://t.co/pGdYezskhT

— Brian McNally (@bmcnally14) June 4, 2015"

Lastly, there's Kerrigan. He underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee in May.

Training camp is the projected return date for all three players, but with each set to fill a prominent role in the upcoming season, Washington fans can't sleep easy, knowing that injuries are already a concern for key Redskins.

2. Starting Quarterback

Richard Lipski/Associated Press

Doesn't it always come back to the quarterback in the NFL?

It certainly does in the NFC East. Count 'em: Three former top-two draft picks reside in this division. And wouldn't you know it, the one who went undrafted, Tony Romo, could very well be the division's top quarterback.

While that's up for debate, there's little doubt which starting quarterback stands in the worst position within the division. That would be Robert Griffin III.

Sam Bradford has been riddled with injuries. But taking into account his partnership with offensive whiz Chip Kelly, even he's in a better situation than Griffin. 

Bradford plays for a coach and in a system that supports him. Can you say the same about RGIII?

He's made strides as a pocket passer. Following a minicamp practice, Gruden went as far as to praise RG3 for his development in this arena (via CSNWashington.com's Tarik El-Bashir):

"

You can see that [he’s] starting to have confidence in the pocket and going through his progressions.

That’s got to be a consistent theme with him, and not always is that possible with the pocket the way it is. But for the most part, he’s coming along at a good rate right now. He’s doing a great job of exhausting all of his progressions, playing the quarterback position with good fundamentals and getting better.

"

Even so, the fact remains Griffin isn't a finished product in this area.

As for the relationship between coach and quarterback, while Gruden has been more supportive of his quarterbackk this offseason, per Paul Woody of the Richmond Times-Dispatch, his critical public critique of Griffin following a Week 7 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last year still resonates.

To general manager Scot McCloughan's credit, though, Griffin does sport a better supporting cast than Bradford. While promising, Jordan Matthews and rookie Nelson Agholor simply don't measure up to DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon as receivers.

But what does it matter? The fact is, whether it's Griffin, Kirk Cousins or Colt McCoy, the chances are that on any given Sunday Washington's opponent will have the edge at quarterback. And with that, the better chance of winning.

1. Secondary

Pablo Martinez Monsivais/Associated Press

After sporting Football Outsiders' worst pass defense in 2014, the Redskins have made strides this offseason to improve their porous secondary.

Coming off a career year, albeit in a supporting role, Chris Culliver is a massive upgrade over both David Amerson and the since-released Tracy Porter. According to Pro Football Focus (h/t Conor Orr of NFL.com), he surrendered an opposing passer rating of 66.5 in 2014, sixth-best in the league.

Still, he alone isn't enough to change the bottom line here.

Moving away from Ryan Clark and Brandon Meriweather was the right move on Washington's part. But with replacements Dashon Goldson and Jeron Johnson, it's unclear how much the team has actually upgraded, if at all.

Johnson has one career start under his belt. In the case of Goldson, the team is banking on him recapturing the form he displayed with San Francisco 49ers. Because with the Buccaneers, he was a colossal bust. 

Tampa's return on the $41.2 million contract it doled out to Goldson was one interception and 153 tackles.

At cornerback, as previously stated, the health of Hall looms large.

The prevalence of slot receivers makes it essential for teams to have three starting-level cornerbacks. Even if you assume Bashaud Breeland takes the next step in his development, without a healthy Hall, Washington comes up woefully short in this department. 

Ultimately, it comes down to games being either won or lost at the quarterback position. With the Redskins' ability to stop opposing signal-callers a looming question mark, the secondary stands as Washington's biggest obstacle to winning the division crown.